Trailer having concrete mixer thereon

ABSTRACT

A utility vehicle comprised of a trailer having a rotatable, inclined concrete mixer thereon and means on the trailer for rotating the mixer. Thus, the vehicle is self-contained and can be towed by a conventional concrete mixer truck to a job site. The mixer of the vehicle is pivotally mounted on the trailer for movement in a vertical plane. Means carried by the trailer and coupled with the mixer thereon raises the same from a lowered, over-the-road position to an elevated, materials-transfer position, whereby concrete can be transferred from the mixer on the trailer to the mixer of the truck. The trailer has a tongue for releasable connection to the rear end of the truck.

' United States Patent 11 1 Mohrmann 11] 3 ,881,706 1451 May 6,1975

[ TRAILER HAVING CONCRETE MIXER THEREON [76] Inventor: William C.Mohrmann, 1030 35th Ave., Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060 [22] Filed: June 28,1973 [21] Appl. No.: 374,739

52 us. c1. 259/162; 259/164; 259/171; 259/177 R 51 1111. c1. 1328C 5/2858 Field 61 Search ..259/173,174,175,176, 259/177 R, 177A,161,162,163,164,165, 169,170,171,16O

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Townsend andTownsend [5 7 ABSTRACT A utility vehicle comprised of a trailer having arotatable, inclined concrete mixer thereon and means on the trailer forrotating the mixer. Thus, the vehicle is self-contained and can be towedby a conventional concrete mixer truck to a job site. The mixer of thevehicle is pivotally mounted on the trailer for movement in a verticalplane. Means carried by the trailer and coupled with the mixer thereonraises the same from a lowered, over-the-road position to an elevated,materials-transfer position, whereby concrete can be transferred fromthe mixer on the trailer to the mixer of the truck. The trailer has atongue for releasable connection to the rear end of the truck.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEBW IBISYS 3,881,706

FIG. I I2 1 TRAILER HAVING CONCRETE MIXER THEREON This invention relatesto improvements in the hauling of pre-mixed concrete to a building siteand, more particularly, to a concrete mixer on a trailer capable ofbeing attached to a concrete mixer truck.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional concrete mixer trucks have acapacity of about 6 cubic yards of concrete. These trucks generally makeseveral trips a day to a job site and during each trip, they deliveronly this limited volume of concrete. The size of the mixer on the truckcannot be increased because of vehicle safety codes; thus, suchconventional trucks are limited to the aforesaid capacity, therebykeeping labor costs relatively high per unit of volume of concretedelivered in each such trip. A need, therefore, exists for a way toincrease the capacity of a mixer apparatus to minimize labor costs yetprovide the advantages of delivery afforded by present concrete mixertrucks to a building site remote from the source of the concretematerials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention satisfies theabove-mentioned need by providing a utility vehicle adapted to be towedby a conventional concrete mixer truck, with the vehicle having arotatable, inclined concrete mixer thereon which operates insubstantially the same manner as the mixer on the truck. To this end,the mixer on the vehicle includes a drum which is normally rotatableabout an inclined axis. Means carried by the vehicle and coupled to themixer rotates the latter relative to the trailer. The drum is pivotallymounted on the vehicle for limited movement in a vertical arc from alowered, over-the-road position to an elevated, operative position.

In the lowered position, the center of gravity of the trailer and mixercombination is at a safe height above ground to stabilize the vehicle.Thus, the trailer can be pulled over the road by the truck withoutdanger of tipping over, such as in turns or the like. In the elevatedposition, the outlet end of the mixer on the trailer is at the sameheight as the outlet end of the mixer on the truck. Thus, concrete fromthe mixer onthe trailer can be transferred directly to the mixer on thetruck after the latter has been moved so that its rear end is contiguousto the front end of the trailer. This feature permits the truck to bedriven away from the trailer and into confined areas which would notaccommodate the truck and trailer together.

The use of the present invention allows the capacity of a conventionalconcrete mixer truck to be essentially doubled, thereby significantlyreducing the labor costs per trip of the truck between aconcrete-receiving site and a job site at which the concrete is dumped.Moreover, the concrete in the mixer on the trailer can be removedtherefrom in a conventional manner, such as by directing the same insmall volumes to conventional buckets, wheelbarrows and the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved concretecarrier which can be towed by a conventional concrete mixer truck toincrease its hauling capacity and thereby reduce labor costs associatedwith hauling concrete to a job site.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vehicle of the typedescribed wherein it includes a trailer having a concrete mixer mountedthereon for rotation about an inclined axis whereby the concrete mixeron the trailer can be used to haul an additional amount of concrete to'ajob site yet allows the direct transfer of concrete therefrom to themixer on the truck so that the truck can move away from the trailer intoconfined areas for dumping of the concrete.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a vehicle of theaforesaid character wherein the mixer on the trailer is pivotallymounted for movement in a vertical plane so that the mixer can belowered into an overthe-road position to stabilize the vehicle as it isbeing towed to a job site yet the mixer on the trailer can be elevatedinto an operative position at which concrete can be transferred directlyto the mixer of the truck, thereby minimizing the need for additionalstructure for conveying the concrete between the mixers.

A further object of this invention is to provide concrete conveyingapparatus which includes a concrete mixer truck and a trailer releasablycoupled to the truck wherein the trailer has a rotatable concrete mixerthereon which can be moved from a lowered position at which the traileris stabilized to an elevated position at which concrete can betransferred directly from the mixer on the trailer to the trailer to themixer on the truck when the truck has been moved into proximity to theforward end of the trailer.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the followingspecification progresses, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing for an illustration of the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the vehicle of thisinvention, showing it being pulled forwardly by a concrete mixer truck;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing one operative position ofthe vehicle of this invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of the rearend portion of the vehicle; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentray, side elevational view of a frontportion of the vehicle.

The utility vehicle of the present invention is broadly denoted by thenumeral 10 and is shown in FIG. 1 in combination with a conventionalconcrete mixer 12 of the type having an inclined, rotatable mixer 13provided with an upper, rear opening 15. Vehicle 10 is adapted to bepulled over a roadway 14 by truck 12 and, to this end, has a tongue 16which is pivotally connected thereto and is adapted to be releasablyconnected to the rear end of truck 12.

Vehicle 10 includes a trailer 20 having front and rear wheels 22 and 24,the front wheels being pivotally mounted for rotation about a generallyvertical axis so that the trailer can be steered by truck 12. Trailer 20has an inclined concrete mixing drum 26 mounted thereon for rotationabout a generally inclined axis. An opening 27 in the forward, upper endof drum 26 permits materials to be placed in and taken out of the drum.Drum 26 has a rear bearing 28 and a front pivotal roller frame orbearing 29 by means of which the drum can rotate about such inclinedaxis to mix materials, such as aggregate, sand, water and cement, toform concrete in a manner which is well-known.

The power source for causing rotation of drum 26 comprises an internalcombustion engine 30 carried by trailer 20 rearwardly of drum 26 asshown in FIG. 3. A

hydraulic motor operated by engine 30 is coupled to drum 26 and operatesto rotate the same about the aforesaid inclined axis and mix thecontents therewithin. The trailer is provided with a water tank 32 forcleaning drum 26 or to provide a supply of water for the mix in thedrum. A fuel tank is carried by trailer 20 beneath engine 30.

Bearing 28 is pivotally mounted by a horizontal shaft 34 on trailer 20.Similarly, the lower end of drum roller frame 29 is pivotally mounted bya pin 36 on trailer 20 near the front end 38 thereof. The upper end ofroller frame 29 has a pivotal connection (not shown) to the upper, frontend of drum 26 to permit the drum to pivot about pin 34.

A fluid piston and cylinder assembly 40 connected to trailer 20 and tothe front, lower end of roller frame 29 is adapted to cause the same topivot about pin 36 relative to trailer 20. Hydraulic lines 44 arecoupled to a suitable hydraulic pump (not shown) operated by engine 30to pump hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinder of assembly 40. Asroller frame 29 pivots about pin 36, it also pivots relative to drum 26to raise or lower the same depending upon the direction of rotation ofthe bearing.

A stop 46 carried by trailer 20 rearwardly of roller frame 29 serves toprevent further movement of the same when the bearing has been elevatedby assembly 40. The bearing pivots through an arc from a generally,lower position at which drum 26 is in a relatively low position as shownin FIG. 1 to an elevated position shown in FIG. 2. In such a loweredposition,, the center of gravity of vehicle is sufficiently low toprevent the vehicle from being unstable as trailer 20 is pulled over theground by truck 12. Typically, the opening 27 in drum 26 can be belowopening in the drum 13 of truck 12 when drum 26 is in its lowered,over-the-road position.

Drum 26 has a loading hopper 65 and drum 13 has a pivotally mountedloading hopper 66. To permit transfer of the mix from drum 26 to drum13, hopper 66 is swung upwardly and out of the way as shown in FIG. 2.

The reason for permitting drum 26 to be elevated is that its opening 27can be raised so that a discharge chute 60 on drum 26 can be alignedwith opening 15 of drum 13. This will permit transfer of concrete fromdrum 26 to drum 13. To facilitate this, tongue 16 is lowered until itsforward end touches the ground as shown in FIG. 2. Then, truck 12 isdriven in reverse until its rear end abuts the front end of trailer 20.To guide the truck into place, trailer 20 has a forward projection 50which is received within a complementary recess 52 in the back of truck12 as shown in FIG. 4. In such a position, discharge chute 60 of drum26, when the latter is elevated by assembly 40, will be in directcommunication with opening 15 of drum 13, permitting transfer ofconcrete from drum 26 to drum 13.

ln use, both drum 13 and drum 26 are filled with the materials formaking concrete. Then, with tongue 16 connected to the rear end of truck12, the truck can pull vehicle 10 to a building site at which theconcrete is to be discharged from both concrete mixing drums. As vehicle10 is pulled over the ground, drum 26 is in its lower position whereinthe vehicle is stable for movement over the road.

Arriving at the road site, the truck can be disconnected from thetrailer and moved to the building site at which its load of concrete indrum 13 is discharged in the usual manner. Then, the truck returns tothe trailer, is reversed into the position shown in FIG. 2 as drum 26 iselevated. When the two drums are in direct fluid communication with eachother, concrete is transferred from drum 26 to drum l3, whereupon thetruck can then again move to the discharge site, discharge the concretein drum l3 and then return to trailer 20 for connection again therewithto pull the trailer back to the source of the concrete.

The concrete mix can be discharged from both drums l3 and 26 even thoughtrailer 20 remains connected by tongue 16 to truck 12. In such a case,the mix can be discharged in the usual fashion to fill forms, concretebuckets, footings, slabs and the like.

The present invention permits the capacity of truck 12 to be almostdoubled. Thus, as it moves to a job site, it can carry twice the normalamount of concrete yet the truck can still be maneuverable into confinedareas without having to pull trailer 20 with it. Trailer 20 can bereadily stored when not in use and can be unloaded using conventionalwheelbarrows, buckets and the like.

I claim:

l. A concrete hauling unit comprising: a truck having a concrete mixermounted thereon for rotation about a first inclined axis and providedwith an opening near the rear end thereof for permitting concrete to bereceived therein; a trailer having a. concrete mixer mounted thereon androtatable relative thereto about a second inclined axis, the mixer onthe trailer having an opening near the front end thereof for permittingconcrete to be removed therefrom and being pivotal relative to thetrailer from a lowered, stabilized position to an upper position atwhich the opening thereof is in alignment with the opening of the mixerof the truck, whereby concrete can be transferred therebetween, means onthe trailer for rotating the mixer thereof, and means carried by thetrailer for raising and lowering the last-mentioned mixer; and meansreleasably interconnecting the truck and the trailer.

2. A hauling unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said interconnectingmeans includes a tongue movable into a location to permit the rear endof the truck to be moved into proximity with the front end of thetrailer when the truck and trailer are not interconnected to permitdirect transfer of concrete from the mixer of the trailer to the mixerof the truck.

3. A hauling unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trailer has apin mounted thereon for pivotally mounting the mixer thereof forrotation in a generally vertical plane.

4. A hauling unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said raising andlowering means includes a fluid piston and cylinder assembly.

5. A concrete carrier comprising: a trailer adapted to be towed over theground; a concrete mixer including a drum having an outlet opening and apair of spaced ends; a pair of bearings on respective ends of the drumfor mounting the mixer on the trailer for rotation about a generallyinclined axis with the outlet opening bearing near the bearing adjacentto the front end of the trailer, the bearing near the rear end of thetrailer being below the front bearing and pivotally mounted on thetrailer to permit pivotal movement of the drum in a,

generally vertical plane; means coupled with the mixer for rotating thesame about said axis; and means coupled with the trailer and to thefront bearing for pivoting the mixer from a lowered position formovement over the road to an elevated position at which concrete can betransferred from said outlet opening thereof.v

6. A concrete carrier comprising: a trailer adapted to be towed over theground, said trailer having a tongue pivotally mounted on the front endthereof for attachment to a concrete mixer truck, said tongue, whendisconnected from the trailer, being disposed to permit the truck tomove rearwardly and into proximity to the front end of the trailer; aconcrete mixer having an outlet opening; means mounting the mixer on thetrailer for rotation about a generally inclined axis and for pivon thetruck.

1. A concrete hauling unit comprising: a truck having a concrete mixermounted thereon for rotation about a first inclined axis and providedwith an opening near the rear end thereof for permitting concrete to bereceived therein; a trailer having a concrete mixer mounted thereon androtatable relative thereto about a second inclined axis, the mixer onthe trailer having an opening near the front end thereof for permittingconcrete to be removed therefrom and being pivotal relative to thetrailer from a lowered, stabilized position to an upper position atwhich the opening thereof is in alignment with the opening of the mixerof the truck, whereby concrete can be transferred therebetween, means onthe trailer for rotating the mixer thereof, and means carried by thetrailer for raising and lowering the lastmentioned mixer; and meansreleasably interconnecting the truck and the trailer.
 2. A hauling unitas set forth in claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means includes atongue movable into a location to permit the rear end of the truck to bemoved into proximity with the front end of the trailer when the truckand trailer are not interconnected to permit direct transfer of concretefrom the mixer of the trailer to the mixer of the truck.
 3. A haulingunit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trailer has a pin mountedthereon for pivotally mounting the mixer thereof for rotation in agenerally vertical plane.
 4. A hauling unit as set forth in claim 1,wherein said raising and lowering means includes a fluid piston andcylinder assembly.
 5. A concrete carrier comprising: a trailer adaptedto be towed over the ground; a concrete mixer including a drum having anoutlet opening and a pair of spaced ends; a pair of bearings onrespective ends of the drum for mounting the mixer on the trailer forrotation about a generally inclined axis with the outlet opening bearingnear the bearing adjacent to the front end of the trailer, the bearingnear the rear end of the trailer being below the front bearing andpivotally mounted on the trailer to permit pivotal movement of the drumin a generally vertical plane; means coupled with the mixer for rotatingthe same about said axis; and means coupled with the trailer and to thefront bearing for pivoting the mixer from a lowered position formovement over the road to an elevated position at which concrete can betransferred from said outlet opening thereof.
 6. A concrete carriercomprising: a trailer adapted to be towed over the ground, said trailerhaving a tongue pivotally mounted on the front end thereof forattachment to a concrete mixer truck, said tongue, when disconnectedfrom the trailer, being disposed to permit the truck to move rearwardlyand into proximity to the front end of the trailer; a concrete mixerhaving an outlet opening; means mounting the mixer on the trailer forrotation about a generally inclined axis and for pivotal movement in agenerally vertical plane, the outlet opening being near the upper end ofthe mixer; means coupled with the mixer for rotating the same about saidaxis; and means coupled with the trailer for pivoting the mixer from alowered position for movement over the road to an elevated position atwhich the outlet opening thereof is in alignment with the correspondingopening of the mixer on the truck When the truck is adjacent to thefront end of the trailer, whereby concrete can be transferred from themixer on the trailer to the mixer on the truck.